The Fellowship of Lifea Christian-based vegetarian network founded in 1973

ArticlesAnimal lovers in church farm fury

By Jacqui Ball, from the (Brighton) Evening ArgusOctober 3, 1983

A hundred animal rights supporters
demonstrated outside a church in Storrington yesterday.

The
protesters were trying to persuade monks from Storrington Priory to
close down the veal farm they run.

Members of the Compassion In
World Farming group joined people from Animal Aid and the Catholic Study
Circle for Animal Welfare to hand out leaflets and lobby the
congregation of Our lady of England Church.

They waved banners
saying "Religious killers" and accusing the monks of making profit out
of animal suffering.

Most of the congregation gave them a frosty
response. A letter from the church farm had already been circulated
giving the monks' case. But one man gave the group a donation.

One woman inside the church said: "It shouldn't be happening. This is
private property. They have no right to be here."

But the
campaigners said the demonstration was the first of many.

"This
is just the beginning. We want the farm to close down," said Lesley
Turpin, secretary of Compassion In World Farming.

"Representatives of our group were shown around the farm on Friday, but
it has not changed our minds. We might well call a national
demonstration and ask for wider support.

Mrs Josephine Potter,
63, of Chatsworth Road, Brighton, and her family joined the protest.

"I was married in this church and my children were baptised here. I
was horrified when I read what was happening. I think it is a cruel and
unnecessary way of keeping animals. As a practising Catholic, I felt I
had to come along," she said.

A leaflet issued by the monks said: "We take a pride in our animals
while they are in our care."